Electric trolling motor?

Sakana · 01-22-2009, 07:44 AM

Just got an electric trolling motor for my birthday and considering mounting on the bow of my sled. I already have 115 Optimax and a T8 on the transom, so there isn't really a lot of room for the electric on the trans. I only have room for one battery (Optimax) in my battery compartment but have an extra battery container w/deep cycle battery for my trolling motors in the bow.
Here's my question, if I'm trolling w/my electric troller and running my electric downriggers (which are wired directly to my main battery) should I run my kicker in idle to keep my main battery charged?

twisted lines · 01-22-2009, 11:22 AM

Are the two batterys connected?
Does the T8 have a pull start?

fish-on-bend · 01-22-2009, 12:05 PM

I have the following set-up.

I have a seperate battery in a well in the bow for my electric. The 2 are not connected, but I have a custom battery cable I can use to connect the 2 batteries in case the main runs down. I have used the bow battery to jump the other battery, but only my main battery is connected to my 115 and T8. I don't use the electric much, but I prefer to have 2 non-connected batteries for mine.

dlm · 01-22-2009, 12:19 PM

I run my trolling motor on a seperate deep cycle battery. My one downrigger is wired to the main battery and I have never had a problem with the one downrigger drawing the main battery down.

After about 6 hours of heavy use last year during the GP derby my trolling battery started to fail. I used jump wires to my main battery and idled the main engine and it worked just fine.

I don't know how much the downriggers draw but I don't think it is enough to sap your main battery. If you are anything like me, you relocate to some other fishing area after a couple hours (unless their biting consistently of course) and that relocation on your main engine brings up the main battery pretty fast.

Hopefully I will be getting rid of the electric this spring and replacing it with a gas kicker.

Sakana · 01-22-2009, 05:46 PM

Thanks for the replies. I was just worried that with two electric Scottys running constantly as with a fish on we always bring up both DR balls. But that was when I was running the T8 and never had to worry as the battery was always being charged. Also forgot to mention I will be running the FF as well, which is hooked up to the main battery too.

Thanks again, Sakana

Poindexter · 01-23-2009, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fish-on-bend

I have the following set-up.

I have a seperate battery in a well in the bow for my electric. The 2 are not connected, but I have a custom battery cable I can use to connect the 2 batteries in case the main runs down. I have used the bow battery to jump the other battery, but only my main battery is connected to my 115 and T8. I don't use the electric much, but I prefer to have 2 non-connected batteries for mine.

I like to have separate batteries for my bow mount, too, so I don't ever run down the starter batts. You can buy a smart charger that will charge the two batteries off the main or kicker motor, too, that are a "one way" type of switch so you can't run down your starter batts but can charge your bow mount batteries.

Not to hijack, but that is a SWEET way to mount the bow mount along with your anchor nest.